Grand Traverse Bay and cherry country

Grand Traverse Bay is the centerpiece of the region — a deep, sparkling arm of Lake Michigan with sandy beaches and clear blue water. It’s the second-largest bay on the lake. The long, narrow Old Mission Peninsula juts up the middle and splits the bay into an East Arm and a West Arm, giving it a wishbone shape. Traverse City is tucked in at the south end, where the Boardman River comes in. People sail, fish (lake trout, salmon, and whitefish), swim, and paddle here all summer.

The bay also does something special for farming: it moderates the climate just enough that fruit thrives along its shores. This is the heart of Michigan’s cherry country. Traverse City calls itself the Cherry Capital of the World, and the hills are covered in orchards. The National Cherry Festival each July is the region’s biggest event. The same climate feeds the vineyards and wineries that have made the area a wine destination, too.

For buyers, bay frontage is some of the most prized and expensive property in northern Michigan. Orchard-and-vineyard land has its own strong demand. Two things bite the unwary here: where exactly your lot meets the water, and whether the access is yours alone or shared with neighbors. And the county now requires a septic inspection before you sell a home within about 300 feet of the water. The bay that ripens the cherries also keeps a close eye on what drains into it (see the well-and-septic note).